Allogeneic versus autologous blood during abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if cell-salvaged autologous blood can serve as an alternative to homologous blood, and to examine the incidence of infected complications and length of postoperative stay.


METHODS
A prospective randomised study comprising autologous and homologous blood transfusions in patients undergoing elective infrarenal abdominal aortic surgery.


METHODS
Fifty patients undergoing AAA surgery were prospectively randomised to homologous blood (n = 27), or autologous blood transfusion (n = 23), using a cell salvage autotransfusion device.


RESULTS
The haemoglobin at the time of hospital discharge was similar for both groups (11.0 vs. 10.8 g/dl) with no difference in perioperative mortality. The length of stay was reduced in those patients who received autologous blood (9 days vs. 12 days, p < 0.05 Mann-Whitney U test). There were four infected cases in the autologous group and 12 in the homologous group (p = n.s., Fisher's exact probability test). However, patients who received 3-4 units of homologous blood had an increased risk of infection compared to those who received a similar amount of autologous blood (50% vs. 0%).


CONCLUSIONS
Cell salvage autologous blood can safely replace, or at least decrease, exposure to homologous blood transfusion, with a reduction in the mean hospital stay.
Spark
J I
JI
Department of Vascular Surgery, St James's University Hospital, Leeds, U.K.
Chetter
I C
IC
Kester
R C
RC
Scott
D J
DJ
D000368:Aged; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D001804:Blood Transfusion, Autologous / Q000295:instrumentation; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D018746:Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology
D006454:Hemoglobins